Electric connector



oct. 11, 1949. y l E, E NORRB 2,484,525

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 2, 1946 i l a,

Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED .STATE-s PLA-'TENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CONNECTOR I "Edward Eldridge Norris, Minneapolis, Minn. 'Application October 2, 1946, Serial No.` 700,651

13 Claims. 1

My invention relatesto improvements in electric connectors of the type comprising two sections such Aas a plug and a plug base.

The objects ofthe invention are, first, to provide a sectional `connector .having .electrical yconductors and electrodes :that are separably connected and that afford va :novel .lock that separably connects/the 'sections -of lthe zconnector, second, to provide rnovellmeans `for releasing the lock, third, :to provide novelmeans for releasably holding the lconductors and ielectrodes .in electrical contact, fourth, to provide a :novel anchor for attaching an electrical -Ieord to taconnector, Ifth, to provide novel means for fconnecting electrical wires to terminals. Other objects ofthe invention will be apparent -from the following description, reference being .had `'to the drawing.

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of the novel :devices'and combination of devices hereinafter described :and 'dened in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates the invention, like characters lindicate like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view of .the improved Iconnector principally lin longitudinal -central section;

Fig. 2 is a view partlyin--endelevation and partly in transverse section takenonthe irregular line 2--2 of Fig. =1;

Fig. 3 is a View principally in transversesection taken-on the ,line 3.-3off1ilig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the plug -base removed from the plug, and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the electric cord showing the wires thereof stripped andv turned backwardly.

The sectional connector yillustrated comprises a plug E and a `'plug base iIvofcylir-idrical formation and each thereof moulded of an insulating material.

The words vi-nner and "outer vto behereinafter used in describing certain `partsof lthe connector, refer to the Along axis -of` the plug vrand plug base when connected.

The inner Iend of the plug :base *Iris anarrow recess 8 linto which projects, from the back thereof, a transverse guide 9 for a pair of .electrodes as will hereinafterappear. This guide 9 is integral with theplfug- 'base 'Ly On the outer end portion of the plug .base -'I isafconductor jacket IQ having. a screw threaded-formation II for attaching the plugbase 1,- :to an-out1et, not shown.

Two conductor bars I2,.and i3. are imbedded,` A

at their outer end portions in the plug base r'I, and their inner end portions extend into the recess 3 on opposite sides of "the guide 9. YThe conductor bar I2, at its outer end, is attached toa contact I@ on the outer end of the plugbase l at thevaxis thereof. The conductor bar I3, at its outer end, Iis attached to the conductor jacket II).

The inner end portions of the conductor bars I2 and I3, in the recess are upset to afford a pair of opposing lock shoulders I5 and I6, respectively. The end portions of the conductor bars I2 and Il' inwardly of the lock shoulders I5 and I' afford contacts I'I and I8 that are in diverging relation." As shown, the lock shoulders I5 and I6 are in `inwardly converging relation. It is importanti to note that the `narrow sides of the recess 8' converge from the inner .end of the plugbase i to the opposing sides of the contacts I1' and I8, at the .inner ends thereof, as indicated at 8a and 8b.

It is 'further important to note that the edge portions of the/'conductor lbars 'I2 and I3 are imbedded in the plug base v'I at the sides of the recess 8, as shown by full and broken lines in Fig. 4, and thereby securely hold the end portions vof'said conductor 1'bars from moving out of position. I

Within the plug 6 is around axial passageway i9 and a radial slot 20 both of which extend vthe full length of said plug. The slot 2t extends from the outer Vside of the plug 6 to the passageway I9.

AV lock releasing thumb piece 2'I, in the form of a flat plate, is mounted in the slot 2B and hinged, atv its outer end portion, on ta pin 22 in 'the form of a sorew'that hasA threaded engagement with the plug 6. A coiled spring 23, mounted in opposing seats 24 in the plug 6 `and the thumb piece 2|, extends transversely through therpassageway, Vat the frontend portion thereof. This spring 23 isunder strain to -move the thumb piece 2l outwardly .on its hinge pin 22.

A pin 25, similarto the hinge pin 22, has

'threaded engagement with the plug 6 and extends transversely through the slot 20 and a transverse slot'25` in the thumb piece 2'I. The purpose of the pin 25 is to limit the outward movement'of the thumb piece `2l under the action of the spring v23.. It Will-be .noted that the inner side of the thumb piece 2I, at its hingepin 22, isona shorter radius than the :passageway I9 and hence the thumb piece 2l extends into said passagewayv for an,v important purpose as will hereinafter appear.

A pair of electrodes 21 and 28, in the form of round rods, have their outer end portions, imbedded, the former in the thumb piece 2| and the latter'in the plug 6. Jaws 29 and 38 integral with the outer end portions of the electrodes 21 and 28 respectively are also imbedded, the former in the thumb piece 2| and the latter in the plug 6. On the opposing faces of the jaws 29 and 30, which are rectangular, there are, on each thereof, a row of teeth 3l that extend the full .width thereof and project into the passageway I9.

The jaws 29 have a hinge lug 29' through 'I which the hinge pin 22 extends and thereby reinforces the respective end portion of the )thumb piece 2|. f

The electrodes 21 and 28 project materially outwardly of the inner end of the plug 6 and into the recess 8. The end portions of the electrodes 21 and 28 in the recess 8 are in converging relation and have on their free ends lock hooks 32 and 33, respectively. The lock hooks 32 and 33 are constructed and rarranger to yinterlock with the lock shoulders I5 and I6 respectively, when the electrodes 21 and 28 are inserted into the recess 8 and thereby couple the plug 6 to the plug base 1 and complete the electrical connection between said plug and plug base.

To' couple the plug 6 to the plug base 1 it is only necessary to move -the plug 6 axially toward the plug base 1 to insert the electrodes 21 and 28 into the recess 8. During the coupling of the plug 6 and the plug base 1 the lock hooks 32 and 33 slide on the converging surfaces 8a and 8b and the contacts I1 and I8 are contracted thereby against the compressed spring 23. When the lock hooks 32 and 33 move out of engagement with the contacts I1 and I8 they snap into interlocking engagement with the lock Shoulders I5 and I6 under the action of the compressed spring 23. The inclined surfaces of the lock shoulders I5 and I6 produce a cam action on the lock hooks 32 and 33 and thereby draw the plug 6 into abutting engagement with the plug base 1.

To remove the plug 6 Vfrom'the plug base 1 it is only necessari7 lto press the finger piece 2| inwardly against the tension of the spring 23 to disengage the lock hook 32 from the lock shoulder I5 and thereby contract the electrodes 21 and 28 whereby the lock hook 33 may be disengaged from the lock shoulder IG and permit said electrodes to be withdrawn from the recess 8.

Anelectric cable X having therein duplex wires Y is attached to the plug 6 in a novel manner. The wires Y at one end of the cable X are stripped of insulation and laid back onto said cable on opposite sides thereof. This end portion of the cable X is inserted into the passageway I9 at the inner end thereof. Before the cable X is inserted into the passageway I9 the pin 25 is removed and the thumb piece 2l opened wide enough to withdraw the jaw 29 and its teeth from the passageway I9 and permit the cable X to be inserted into said passageway.

When inserting the cable X into the passageway I9 said cable is held with the wires Y in the projected plane of the jaws 29 and 30 so that the teeth 3I will contact the wires Y when said jaws are closed. When inserting the cable X into the passageway I9 it is positioned with its inner end portion beyond the jaws 29 and 38 and in a recess I9 formed by increasing the diameter of the passageway I9.

When the cable X correctly positioned in the passageway I9, the thumb piece 2Iis closed and the pin 25 replaced to clamp the jaws 29 and 30 onto the wires Y and the cable X. This closing of the jaws 29 and 38 attens that portion of the cable X between the jaws 29 and 30 and thereby securely anchors the same to the plug 6. The closing of the jaws 29 and 30 causes the teeth 3I thereof, to crimp the wires Y at a plurality of longitudinally spaced points and press the same into the cable X. Obviously this crimping of the Wires Y produces a plurality of electrical contacts between thev wiresV Y and the teeth 3 I.

From the above description it is evident that the conductors I2 and I3 and the electrodes 21 and 28 perform a double function to wit, a mechanical coupling that connects the plug 6 and the plug base '1 and an electrical coupling that completes the circuit through the connector. The spring 23 is insulated from the electrodes 21 and 28 an'dhence no current can pass through the same. This compressedspring 23 keeps the electrodes 21 and 28 and their lock hooks 32 and 33 in good electrical contact with the connectors I2 and I3 andtheirlockshoulders I5 and I6.

The section of the cord X held compressed by the jawsv 29 and. 39 tends to move the thumb piece 2I outwardlyk and thereby assists the spring 23 in holding the electrodes 21 and 28 in good electrical contact with the connectors I2 and I3.

The guide 9 prevents the electrodes 21 and 28 from coming into contact with each other when operating the finger piece 2l, and also acts as an insulation between said electrodes.

As heretofore stated, the cam action between the lock hooks 32 and'33 and the lock shoulders I5 and I6 holds the plug 6 in abutting engagement with the plug" base 1 thereby reducing wiggle or play Vbetween said plug and plug base to a minimum. 'This eiicientmlocking of the plug to the plug'base is highly desirable especially in radio and sound equipment cords because of the fact that the least movement or scraping action between electrical contacts in such equipment produce'ssmall electric arcs or sparks which are amplified into the speaker;

The teeth 3| make very positive contact with the wires Y and at the same time the current will be split'up or shunted through a plurality of contacts, to wit, the vteeth 3l, thereby reducing the actual load per contact. l

From what has been said, it willbe understood thatithe invention described is capable of modifications as to details of construction and arrangement within the scope of the invention herein disclosedV and claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A' connector having a pair of opposing electric contact jaws, means for adjusting one of the jaws relative to the other thereof, in combination withan electric cordfextending between the jaws and having duplex wires ythe end portions of which are turnedbacl; onto opposite sides of the cord i and engagedrby saidl jaws, said jaws pressing the wires onto the cord andcompressing the cord to electrically connect the Vjaws and. the wires and anchor the cord to the-connector.

72. The structure dened in claim 1 in which a considerable end portion of the cord is inwardly of the jaws. t

3f The structure defined in claim 1 in which the jaws have wide teeth that crimp the wires and press the same into the cord.

Y 4. `Av connector having an insulating body member, a pair of electric contact jaws mounted in the body membenmeans for adjusting one of the jaws relative'to the other thereof, in combination with an electric cord extending between the jaws and having duplex wires, the end portions of which are turned back onto opposite sides of the cord and engaged by the jaws, said jaws pressing the wires onto the cord and compressing the cord to electrically connect the jaws and the wires and anchor the cord to the body member.

5. The structure dened in claim 4 further including relatively wide teeth on the jaws that crimp the wires and press the same into the cord.

6. A connector having an insulating body member provided with a passageway and a radial slot extending from the outer side of the body member to the passageway, a hinged insulating finger piece in the slot, a pair of electrodes mounted the one in the body member and the other in the nger piece, said electrodes having a pair of opposing contact jaws extending into the passageway, in combination with an electric cord extending into the passageway between the jaws and having duplex wires the end portions of which are turned back onto the opposite sides of the cord and engaged by the contact jaws, said jaws pressing the wires onto the cord and compressing the cord to electrically connect the jaws and the Wires and anchor the cord to the body.

'1. The structure defined in claim 6 further including relatively wide teeth on the jaws that crimp the wires and press the same into the cord.

8. An electrical plug having a solid cylindrical body member having in one end portion a relatively long and deep recess and in its other end a bore extending into the recess for an electric cable, said body member also having a longitudinal channel extending into the recess, an insulating carrier mounted in the channel, hinged to the body member and extending outwardly thereof to alord a finger-piece, a pair of electrodes, one of which is diametrically opposite the channel and embedded in part in the body member, the other electrode being embedded in part in the carrier, and a spring normally holding the carrier projected.

9. The structure deiined in claim 8, further including a pair of opposing jaws on the electrodes.

10. The structure defined in claim 8, further including a pair of jaws on the electrodes having opposing serrations.

11. The structure defined in claim 8, further including a stop pin mounted in a bore in the body member extending transversely through the channel and a slot in the carrier.

12. An electrical plug and socket having solid insulating body members in endwise abutting engagement, said body members having in their abutting end portions communicating recesses, the plug body member having in its outer end a bore extending into the respective recess for an electric cable, said plug body member also having a longitudinal channel extending into its recess, an insulating carrier mounted in the channel, hinged to the respective body member and extending outwardly of said body member to afford a finger-piece, a pair of electrodes, one of which is diametrically opposite the channel and embedded in parts in the respective body member, the other electrode being embedded in part in the carrier, said electrodes having means for attaching an electric cable thereto, a spring normally holding the carrier projected, the outer end portions of the electrodes being in converging relation, extending into the recess in the socket body member and having outturned shoulders in diverging relation, and a pair of connectors, embedded in part in the socket body member and having converging cam surfaces constructed and arranged to be engaged by the electrodes when coupling the two body members and thereby move the electrode in the carrier toward the other electrode, said connectors having lock shoulders inwardly of the cam surfaces, with which the shoulders on the electrodes interlock when they move out of engagement with the cam surfaces.

13. The structure dened in claim 12, further including a guide on the socket body member between the two connectors.

EDWARD ELDRIDGE NORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

